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Icing on the Murder (A Baker Street Mystery) by Valerie Burns today!
Icing on the Murder (A Baker Street Mystery)
by Valerie Burns
About Icing on the Murder
Icing on the Murder (A Baker Street Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Michigan
Publisher : Kensington Cozies
Publication Date : July 29, 2025
Print length : 272 pages
ISBN-10 : 1496753402
ISBN-13 : 978-1496753403
Digital ASIN : B0DLQY8DSF
ISBN-13 : 978-1496753410
Audiobook ASIN B0F2WJLDVZ
Influencer-turned-bakery-owner Maddy Montgomery has sold plenty of wedding cakes before, but before she turns one out for her and her fiancé’s wedding, she’ll have to solve a little case of murder . . .
Aunt Octavia would be so proud! Maddy has turned Baby Cakes Bakery—named for her 250-pound English Mastiff, Baby—into a runaway success, and she’s marrying the love of her life, veterinarian Michael Portman. #DreamWedding! Plus the timing couldn’t be better: the country’s biggest bridal expo has come to New Bison, Michigan, and Maddy has secured a spot for Baby Cakes to showcase their cakes. She’s also entered a contest for an all-expenses-paid wedding extravaganza offered by world-renowned wedding planner Serafina.
Unfortunately, supremely nasty Serafina truly takes the cake—she makes the worst bridezilla seem like a shy flower girl. But there’s one thing the wedding planner didn’t plan on—being impaled by one of the skewers Baby Cakes uses on their tiered wedding cakes.
While Maid of Honor Sheriff April Johnson rounds up suspects at the expo, Maddy and her aunt’s friends, the Baker Street Irregulars, and even Baby join forces to unveil a killer hiding in plain sight . . . before wedding bells start to chime.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
#DreamWedding! The biggest bridal expo in the country is making a stop in New Bison, Michigan. Maddy Montgomery is so excited not only because Baby Cakes Bakery will have a booth at the event, but plans are underway for her and veterinarian Michael Portman’s upcoming wedding. She has entered a contest hosted by world-renowned wedding planner Serafina for an all-expenses-paid “wedding extravaganza”. There is so much to do, Maddie hopes Serafina will help her make all the important decisions.
Serafina turns out to be nothing like Maddie expected. She is mean and nasty. She has dug up dirt on all the couples entered into the competition and embarrasses them on stage in front of everyone at the expo. Her “plan” was to see how they reacted under pressure; well, they reacted all right. During a short break, the famous wedding planner’s plans went off course. She was killed using a skewer commonly used to hold layers of wedding cakes together.
Sheriff and Maddie’s maid-of-honor, April Johnson, takes charge of the scene and gathers the obvious suspects to question. Maddie assembles the Baker Street Irregulars, aka friends of her Aunt Octavia, and her 250-pound English Mastiff, Baby, to start their own investigation to try to catch the killer before the expo closes. With a killer on the loose, no one is safe. If Maddie wants to walk down the aisle to marry the love of her life, they need to put icing on Serafina’s murderer before they can say “I Do!”
When social media influencer Maddie’s Aunt Octavia died, her inheritance not only included her home, her bakery, and her 250-pound English Mastiff, Baby, but all her aunt’s wonderful, quirky, and lovable friends. Maddie is surrounded by love and people who care about her, including her BFF, the sheriff, and her tenant, April Johnson. The icing on the cake was meeting Army veteran and veterinarian Michael Portman. The man she has fallen in love with. The community that Ms. Burns has created in this series always warms my heart. Her characters are unique and have a purpose within each story. Their dialogues ring true.
These characters are strong because of how they come together when one or more are in trouble. They are faced with a complicated mystery. They ask questions, listen to each other, throw out theories, and make plans on how to proceed. Then they go off to investigate and later gather together again to report their findings. And then they repeat if necessary. The death happened in a large venue filled with people, plus there is a time limit. I was completely entertained following along. The takedown of the killer was fierce and fantastic. It started with me holding my breath and ended with me smiling ear to ear. #CrimeDon’tPay #YouHadItComing
A subplot features Maddie and Michael’s wedding plans. Maddie is feeling overwhelmed, and Michael was very understanding. Wedding budgets are stressful, but they finally agree on their budget. Of course, winning the contest would have made everything easier. A very special item was found, and it brought back memories of not only my wedding but my daughter’s. It was so meaningful for Maddie.
It wouldn’t be a Baker Street Mystery without the awesome Baby. The English Mastiff rarely leaves Maddie’s side. He has a special talent that everyone would like to avoid, but when it happens, the mystery begins. His love for Maddie and his trust in her are heartwarming, even with all that drool.
Icing on the Murder is an excellent addition to this fun series. I truthfully cannot get enough of these characters. Their devotion to help each other fills me with all the good feels. This visit went way too fast. I can’t wait to return to New Bison and see what Ms. Burns has baked up for Maddie, Baby, and their friends next.
#IcingonaMurder #BakerStreetMysteries #ValerieBurns #bookreview #5starread #recipes #perfectescape #murder #cozymystery #babycakes #englishmastiff #somuchfun # #familyhistory #appleseason #spectacularweddingcakes
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Valerie Burns, Kensington Cozies, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
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About Valerie Burns
Valerie (V. M.) Burns is an Agatha and Edgar Award-nominated author. She is the author of the Mystery Bookshop, Dog Club, RJ Franklin, and Baker Street Mystery series. As Kallie E. Benjamin, Valerie writes the Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery series. She is an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA, and a mentor in the Pocket MFA program. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in Northern Georgia with her two poodles. Connect with Valerie at vmburns.com.
Author Links
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Purchase Links
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Written as VM Burns
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.
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